“On the night of April 6, 1968, police officer Eugene R. Jennings witnessed the murder of Bobby Hutton by Oakland and Emeryville police officers. Eldridge Cleaver and Bobby Hutton were engaged in a gun battle with the police. Jennings states in his deposition to the police department briefing that he arrived at the scene at 1218 28th Street in Oakland and took position across the street on top of a brick building (building is still standing). He did not see who was actually shooting, but saw “flashes coming from the basement” from the house across the street. From his observation the house had caught on fire. Jennings further states that Cleaver and Hutton had surrendered to the police and were surrounded. The police brutalized both Cleaver and Hutton. According to Jennings’ testimony, Hutton stumbled after being pushed from behind, not trying to escape. (During the deposition, the police investigation attempted to coerce Jennings to state that Hutton was trying to escape or run). At this point an officer stepped forward and shot Hutton in the head, and other officers followed suit. Jennings’ description of Hutton’s murder mirrors the version told by Eldridge Cleaver.” Michael Brown was shot in the head, and other parts of his body, just like Bobby Hutton – and they both had their hands up. The fact that Hutton was a Panther in a shoot out with police before his execution should not exclude his name from the long list of murder-by-cop victims we memorialize at anti-policing demonstrations. In fact, one would hope to see more, not less, references to the lessons Hutton’s life (and death) teaches. The disgusting corporate media character assassinations that murder-by- cop victims have to endure (Trayvon Martin was a dope smoking, school skipping delinquent, and Michael Brown was a thief) has the movement on edge to prove these young men did not deserve to be murdered. It’s absurd to even have to say something like, “Even if Michael Brown did steal those cigars, his hands were up, he shouldn’t have been murdered.” If we have to utter these words today, this doesn’t bode well for those of us who say, “Bobby Hutton was surrendering, his hands were up, and he shouldn’t have been murdered.”
“Cleaver and Hutton had surrendered to the police and were surrounded.”
Sure, there is a world of difference in the events leading to Hutton’s and Brown’s deaths. But the racist policing apparatus perceives all black and brown lives the same: worthless. The establishment that supports the black mass incarceration state and its counterinsurgency police militarization practices knows well the lesson of Bobby Hutton’s life and death. Setting aside details about how Hutton came to be placed in harms way on the day of his murder, he was young, militant, and educating himself about his rights. He was fighting back. That is what all the police weaponry is about in Ferguson, Missouri right now. They are warning the next generation of Bobby Huttons to stay home and be afraid. But this warning has never worked and it never will. People can see with their own eyes the cold blooded murders of black and brown people, the subsequent police/political cover-ups, the colluding media re-assassinations of the victims, their families, and supporters, and the intimidation and repression of those seeking justice for victims and their families.
My point here is not to catalyze a debate about controversial anti-police resistance tactics of the past. As Ferguson’s daunting militarized police presence makes clear, we are in the preemptive strike era of police weaponry and tactics, so it has to be a new era for resistance strategy and tactics. This is simply to acknowledge that Lil’ Bobby Hutton’s name is on the same justice seeking continuum as Emmett & Amadou & Sean & Oscar & Trayvon & Jordan & Eric & Mike & Ezell… Justice for Michael Brown will be justice for Lil’ Bobby Hutton too.
Michelle Renee Matisons, Ph.D. can be reached at michrenee@gmail.com.
Article Appeared @http://www.blackagendareport.com/node/14519